1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus, a method of controlling the electronic apparatus, a recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording media and a method of controlling the recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording media. More particularly, the present invention concerns an electronic apparatus having moving components, a method of controlling the electronic apparatus, a recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording media having moving components, and a method of controlling the recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording media.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, an electronic apparatus such as a disc changer, a printer, etc. which are adapted to select one of a plurality of discs for data recording and/or reproduction into and/or from the selected disc, is provided with a locking mechanism to prevent a moving component such as a disc or tray housing accomodating the plurality of discs, character printing head, etc. from being dislocated out of place due to vibration or the like during shipping from factory.
For instance, a disc changer comprises a disc housing accommodating a plurality of discs in a stacked relationship, a writing and/or reading unit to record and/or reproduce data into and/or from a one selected among the discs in a disc housing, a lifting mechanism to move up or down the disc housing between a position where a user-select ed be taken from inside the disc housing and a position where the optical disc is opposite to a writing and/or reading unit and thus can be fed into he unit, etc.
In the disc changer, after the user selects a desired one of the plurality of discs, the disc housing is moved up or down by the lifting mechanism between a position where a disc can be taken out of the disc housing and then transferred by a loading mechanism from its storing position inside the disc housing and a disc playing position inside the writing and/or reading unit. Thus, data is written into, and/or read from, the user's selected disc at the disc playing position.
In such a disc changer, the disc housing accommodating the discs is supported movably by the lifting mechanism. During shipping from factory, however, the disc changer is likely to be wobbled due to vibration and thus the disc housing is dislocated from its initial position, possibly causing a failure of the disc changer. To prevent such a failure, the disc changer is provided with a locking mechanism to lock the disc housing against wobbling due to vibration during shipping. The locking mechanism includes a locking member inserted from outside the enclosure and adapted for engagement onto an end face of a lifting control plate which controls lifting of the disc housing to lock the lifting control plate, and hence the disc housing. To use the disc changer provided with such a locking mechanism, the user himself or herself has to remove the locking member prior to using the disc changer. When the locking member is removed, the lifting control plate is freed for movement and thus the disc housing is allowed to be movable up and down.
When the user transports or carries the electronic apparatus such as the disc changer, printer or the like, the locking member will be able to lock the moving component in place and prevent the electronic apparatus from being wobbled by vibration during transport for relocation or removal from one to another site. However, the user who will use the electronic apparatus again at the new site may possibly forget to remove the locking member. In this case, when the electronic apparatus is stalled and the user may possibly believe that the electronic apparatus itself is defective.
Before the electronic apparatus of the above-mentioned type is shipped from the factory, the moving component is usually retained in place with its locking member at the factory to prevent the moving component from being wobbled by vibration and the electronic apparatus itself from getting defective. However, a user not well familiar with the mechanism and operation of such an electronic apparatus delivered to him, may possibly forget to remove the locking member before initially connecting the main power supply to the apparatus. In this case, when the apparatus is of course be stalled and thus the user will believe that the apparatus itself defective, as mentioned just above.